Jains Through Time

Author(s): Shilapi Sadhvi
Publisher: Veerayatan

Page 58

59
The Jains through Time
that these brilliant young people will get answers to their questions and receive proper guidance in following the path of progress. Perhaps we will then see epochmaking personalities like Kundakund, Mantung and Umasvati grow in them.
Kundakund: The Golden Philosopher In the process of lauding and appraising some of Jainism's towering pillars of wisdom, my gaze fondly dwells on Acharya Kundakund. Some experts say he lived in 1st century AD while others place him in 7th century AD. It is universally admitted that his work, filled with the deeper meaning of the knowledge of the soul, led people to new peaks of spirituality and a sounder, more logical interpretation of the Agamas. Although he wrote eighty four prabhrits (small books), detailing essential aspects of inner-development, his seminal work was the Samaysar. This work, written from a very unconventional point of view, emphasises the innate purity of the soul rather than the conditioned state of bondage, and contains within it beautiful descriptions of the 'nine realities' and the 'three jewels'. It's not only
the crowning glory of his writings, but also one of the greatest achievements in the doctrine of human perfectibility and is well respected by scholars everywhere. Free from all worldly ambitions, his works mirror his own inner excellence. Those who fear karmic bondage through indulging in creative work could learn from his example. Nivrutti from ashubh (inauspicious) and pravrutti in shubh (auspicious), was the single-minded pursuit of praiseworthy people like Kundakund and relentlessly following this path, they attained the summit of purity.
Buddhism became a world religion because Bodhisattva's concept prioritises working for the salvation of all sentient beings rather than concentrating solely on attaining one's own liberation. The Bodhisattva's delaying of his own deliverance until he has helped all sentient beings to liberation is a notion that rests on universal compassion. I don't know how practical this sentiment is but I can say that nowhere else have I found such a striking expression of altruism. I don't know whether Jainism will ever be able to